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Friday, July 30, 2010

I havent been blogging for a while now. This time around in India, I showed off my baking skills to family (nice to be acknowledged for what i know ..right!!)...lol. On the menu were carrot cake, ginger snap cookies and mango swirl bread. I am back to Atl and was not sure what to bake to start my regular kitchen schedules. (It is quite tough to get back into a cooking routine after a great vacation). sigh!

I had to use up the apricots and dates in my pantry and ended up baking this yummy Dates and apricot cake. Dates are known to be a great source of fiber, zero calorie snack. I recently came to know that California was the haven for luscious date varieties in the US. (courtesy: travel channel)...hmm..got to try some soon....This Middle-East-Asian wonder fruit is known for its richness and a very fruity flavor.

Did you know that a few dates and a cup of unflavoured milk give you an instant energy boost?..Being rich in iron and potassium, they are used as a great "Fast breaking" food by people following Ramadan fast (Islamic holy month). Dates contain folate and traces of Vit A, B and are considered great to treat anemia, fatigue and constipation. No wonder they are used to break a whole day of Ramadan/ ramzaan fast by people across the world.

(left: dried apricots; right : dry dates)

just FYI, this is how fresh apricots look

Pic: source wiki

Apricots are a great source of beta carotene and help in reducing infections and skin issues. They are also a great source of Iron and Potassium. However, the dried versions contain Sulphur di-oxide (preservative) which is known to trigger asthma attacks. (hmm..another reason why we could avoid preserved food..right!!). It is better to soak preserved /dried apricots in water for fifteen minutes before consumption. Remember to drain the water it was soaked in).

The recipe:

you need: for a loaf

Whole wheat flour - 2 cups

Sugar - (I used white this time) - 1 or 3/4 cup (dates lend a bit of their sweetness to the cake )